De la Iglesia to helm ‘Yellow Mark’

La Fabrique prepping comic adaptation

MADRID — French producer-distributor La Fabrique de Films has attached Spanish helmer Alex de la Iglesia to write and direct a live-action version of Belgian Edgar Pierre Jacobs’ comic book “La Marque Jaune” (The Yellow Mark).

The e25 million ($33.6 million) international co-production is being produced by La Fabrique’s co-founders Franck Ribiere and Verane Frediani.

Part of Jacobs’ long-running “Blake and Mortimer” cartoon series, pic follows Captain Francis Blake and science professor Philip Mortimer as they attempt to solve the crimes of a mysterious character known as The Yellow Mark.

De la Iglesia, who’s now in post on thriller “Oxford Murders,” toplining Elijah Wood, John Hurt and Leonor Watling, has once more teamed with his longtime co-scribe Jorge Guerricaechevarria to write the script. A first draft could be ready by January. The English language shoot is skedded for October-November 2008.